carnage

noun

car·​nage ˈkär-nij How to pronounce carnage (audio)
Synonyms of carnagenext
1
: the flesh of slain animals or humans
… a multitude of dogs came to feast on the carnage.T. B. Macaulay
2
: great and usually bloody slaughter or injury (as in battle)
the carnage of war

Examples of carnage in a Sentence

Reporters described the highway accident as a scene of carnage. the appalling carnage in that war-torn country requires that the outside world intervene
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At first, neither the US nor Israel wanted to take blame for the carnage. Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 Mar. 2026 Federal prosecutors said the pair hoped to inflict more carnage than the Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured more than 260 others in 2013. Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 10 Mar. 2026 This had been the epicenter of the software carnage. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026 Playoff carnage San Diego Section teams did not fare well in Tuesday’s opening round of the Southern California playoffs. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnage

Word History

Etymology

French, from Medieval Latin carnaticum tribute consisting of animals or meat, from Latin carn-, caro — see carnal

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carnage was in 1614

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carnage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnage. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

carnage

noun
car·​nage ˈkär-nij How to pronounce carnage (audio)
: great destruction of life (as in battle) : slaughter

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